title: Ankle sensorimotor control and eversion strength after acute ankle inversion injuries.
abstract: We performed this study to monitor changes in ankle eversion strength and sensorimotor control functions after acute ankle inversion injury. Forty-four patients with clinical grade II to III first-time ankle inversion sprains were tested for 1) pathologic talar tilt and anterior talar translation at 1 and 12 weeks after injury; 2) isometric eccentric ankle eversion strength and 3) peroneal reaction time to sudden ankle inversion at 3, 6, and 12 weeks after injury; and 4) accuracy of inversion position assessment 1, 3, 6, and 12 weeks after injury. Not all patients could perform all tests at the early follow-up visits. There was mechanical instability in 19 of 40 tested patients at 1 week and in 4 patients at 12 weeks after injury. Eversion strength was 88% of the contralateral side 3 weeks after injury, rising to 96% after 12 weeks. The magnitude of error of inversion position sense was 190% of the contralateral side 1 week after injury; this was still affected after 12 weeks, but fell to 133%. Patients with pathologic talar tilt or anterior talar translation, or both, at 1 week after injury did not show significantly greater error in position assessment or reduction in eversion strength when compared with patients with ankles that remained stable after injury.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Bispebjerg Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Konradsen
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Olesen
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Hansen
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016512:Ankle Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007593:Joint Instability / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011434:Proprioception; D011930:Reaction Time; D013180:Sprains and Strains / Q000503:physiopathology*